2002 Hyundai Elantra Hatchback

2002 Hyundai Elantra Hatchback

2002 Hyundai Elantra GT

Enthusiast's steal of the year?

by Bob Hall

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass.

Value, fun-to-drive, and high content rank near the top of the automotive public-relations lexicon. Throw in &#147;re-configurability,&#148; appeals to active life styles, bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a recent favorite, surprise and delight features, and you&#146;re on your way to press kit heaven. But you also could be describing Hyundai&#146;s Elantra GT; and it might be the automotive bargain of the year.

Hyundai&#146;s value-for-your-buck equation isn&#146;t a secret anymore, but for enthusiasts on a budget, this five-door hatchback has to rank number one. The $13,999 base price includes air conditioning, leather seats, side airbags, power mirrors and windows, CD player, keyless entry, etc. Based on that value equation alone, anyone looking for economical transportation would be foolish not to check it out. It&#146;s when you add ride and handling to all that standard equipment that the Elantra GT really stands out.

Clever tuning

Slip behind the tightly wrapped leather steering wheel, wrap your right hand around the matching shift knob, engage the five-speed manual transmission and measure the GT&#146;s fun factor for yourself. Journalists making the trip to New England&#146;s Berkshires did just that, taking full advantage of the numerous two-lane blacktops that connect Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. All of us drove manual-equipped GTs (a four-speed automatic is an $800 option), and our verdict seemed unanimous, one helluva lot of car for the money and great fun to toss around. (Plus the glowing purple gauges are very cool!)

That toss-ability is thanks to a &#147;sport-tuned&#148; or &#147;European-tuned&#148; suspension (take your pick, Hyundai uses them interchangeably), and the Tiburon&#146;s tire and wheel combination. Hyundai engineers have become pretty clever with suspension tuning and the Elantra GT&#146;s taut handling is proof. Compared to its sibling, the GLS sedan, the GT gets larger stabilizer bars front and rear, firmer shocks all around, and less boost to the power steering.

As good as the steering is, it&#146;s the standard 15-inch alloys wearing 195/60 Michelin MXV4 Plus tires that get the job done. Hyundai understood what Mitsubishi failed to with its new Lancer &frac34; good tires and wheels make a world of difference.

Power and privilege

Driving on New York&#146;s Columbia County Route 7A with no other traffic as an impediment, all those differences could be felt and tossing the Elantra GT around was the order of the morning. Of our 350-mile drive home from the Berkshires, this was the most fun. Any back road with curves, dips and hills between the straight-aways will call to you to test the GT&#146;s limit. Of course it&#146;s not a Porsche Boxster or even a VW Jetta, but for a lot less money, you can still have a very enjoyable driving experience. There&#146;s just enough understeer to remind you not to do anything stupid, but it&#146;s doubtful you&#146;ve ever driven a car anywhere close to this price that you could push this hard.

Of course with &#147;just&#148; 140 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque you won&#146;t outrun the Boxsters and BMWs, but you&#146;ll also fill up a lot less. Besides the two figures above, the Elantra&#146;s 2.0-liter, dual-overhead-cam four also delivers fuel economy of 25 city and 33 highway when mated to the manual, 24/33 with the automatic. On our varied mix of back roads, Interstates and multi-lane streets in urban shopping areas, we managed over 35 miles-to-the-gallon of regular. Unchanged since its introduction in the 2000 model year, the aluminum-head &#147;Beta&#148; engine remains one of the most responsive four-cylinders out there.

Speaking of model years, the Elantra was an all-new car for 2001. The GLS four-door went on sale in the U.S. in October 2000, while it and the GT went on sale in Europe a few months previous. A few GTs found their way to U.S. dealerships this summer as 2001.5 vehicles. But as of October, these completely unchanged cars are considered 2002s.

Pricing and options are a tad convoluted as well. Destination charges add $495 to the bargain $13,999 base price. The only glaring non-standard feature is anti-lock brakes with integral traction control. But the only way to get it is as a package with a moon roof and sunshade, all for $1,175. Yet you can get the moon roof/sunshade as a stand-alone $650 option! Go figure. Mike Anson can&#146;t; &#147;that&#146;s just the way they make them,&#148; he laments. The only other stand-alone options are carpeted floor mats ($78) and a rear cargo cover ($38).

It&#146;s instructive that we&#146;ve yet to mention Hyundai&#146;s super warranty, five years/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, and 10 years/100,000 miles powertrain for original owners. It&#146;s a bonus at this point, certainly not the sole reason to buy. Plus with the GT, Hyundai joins Kia, Lexus, Mazda and Ford in offering a five-door, a body-style that&#146;s been resurrected for U.S. consumers as a sport-ute alternative. Hyundai predicts that GTs will constitute 15 percent of Elantra sales. That may be conservative. This one could be a real winner. Stay tuned.

Passenger Restraint

Road Visibility

Security

2002 Hyundai Elantra Hatchback

Original Warranty

Original Warranty

An original warranty is the warranty associated with a vehicle when it is brand new. In addition to the original warranty, select items, like tires, are typically covered by respective manufacturers. Also, an act of Federal law sometimes provides protection for certain components, like emissions equipment.

The original warranty is often broken down into multiple sections, including:

Basic Warranty:

Typically covers everything except for parts that wear out through normal use of the vehicle. Examples of non-covered items are brake pads, wiper blades and filters.

Drivetrain Warranty:

This warranty covers items the basic warranty does not protect. Wear and tear items such as hoses will not be covered, but key items like the engine, transmission, drive axles and driveshaft often will be.

Roadside Assistance:

The level of service differs greatly with this warranty, but many manufacturers offer a toll-free number that helps provide assistance in case you run out of gas, get a flat tire or lock your keys in the car.

Corrosion Warranty:

This warranty focuses on protecting you from holes caused by rust or corrosion in your vehicle's sheet metal.

Please check the owner's manual, visit a local dealership or look at the manufacturer's website to learn more about the specifics of the warranties that apply to a vehicle.

Basic

5 Years/60,000 Miles

Drivetrain

10 Years/100,000 Miles

Corrosion

5 Years/100,000 Miles

Roadside Assistance

5 Years/Unlimited Miles

Hyundai Certified Pre-Owned Warranty

Certified Pre-Owned Warranty

To be eligible for Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) status, vehicles generally must be recent models with relatively low mileage. CPO vehicles must also pass a detailed inspection, outlined by the manufacturer, which is measured by the number of inspected points.

Warranty coverage can vary from one manufacturer to the next. While most certified pre-owned programs transfer and extend the existing new car warranty terms, others offer a warranty that simply represents an additional year and mileage value. Always check with the manufacturer for the specific warranties they offer.

Common features and benefits of Certified Pre-Owned warranties include:

Age/Mileage Eligibility

To even be considered for certification, a car must be a recent model year and have limited mileage. The exact requirements are established by individual manufacturers.

Lease Term Certified

Some manufacturers offer certified pre-owned cars for lease. The length of the lease is often shorter than a new car lease, but it will cost you less.

Point Inspection

These inspections entail a comprehensive vehicle test to ensure that all parts are in excellent working order. The point inspection list is simply a numbered list of exactly what parts of the car are examined. While many inspections range from a 70- to 150-point checklist, most are very similar and are performed using strict guidelines. Ask your local dealer about specific details.

Return/Exchange Program

Some manufacturers offer a very limited return or exchange period. Find out if you will get the sales tax and licensing/registration fees back should you return or exchange the car.

Roadside Assistance

Most certified pre-owned programs offer free roadside service in case your car breaks down while still under warranty.

Special Financing

Reduced-rate loans are available through many certified pre-owned programs. Manufacturer-backed inspections and warranties help eliminate the risks involved with buying pre-owned, so buyers who qualify can take advantage of the great offers.

Transferable Warranty

When a new car warranty transfers with the certification of the car and remains eligible for the next owner, it is known as a transferable warranty. Once the original transferable warranty expires, an extended warranty takes effect.

Warranty Deductible

This is the amount for which you are responsible when repair work is performed under the warranty. Some manufacturers require a deductible while others don't, so always ask.